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Satan Runs Faster

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. - James 4:7

"Come on, you can go faster," I kept telling myself as I came towards the end of my mile run, trying to beat my personal best. In fact, going faster is something that I think every athlete tries to do. Adrian Peterson for the Vikings tries to be faster on his feet than the defenders, zig-zagging his way through the human obsticle course. And I can picture Michael Jordan on a fast break, trying to keep the defender behind him in order to get the perfect dunk.

Even in today's workplace, it seems that speed is key. Manager's are pressuring employees to work faster, regardless of their profession. Grocery stores push their clerks to check out customers faster, baggers to bag faster; while corporate offices want letters typed faster and mailed faster.

Yet, no matter how fast we seem to do things, it is never good enough. Adrian Peterson gets caught, Michael Jordan blocked, and even I missed setting a new personal best. Perhaps there is no greater feeling of failure in our lives, than the feeling we have after we sin.

We all have areas of failure, whether it is noticeable by others or not. We all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and fall to temptations. And it seems that Satan is right there, taunting us, telling us that "we aren't fast enough for him." Telling us that we "cannot defeat him." And in many ways he is right... we aren't faster than he is, we aren't smarter than he is, and by ourselves we cannot defeat him... but with God, well that's another story.

The Bible tells us that if we resist the devil, if we resist his temptations, he will flee from us. If we align ourselves with God in every decision we make, Satan will run away, as running away from danger. In the thesaurus, another word for flee is to escape. Think about this, if we resist Satan and align ourselves with God, he won't just leave us alone, but he has to escape the power and righteousness of God!

In our lives, we may not always be able to go faster. We may not always accomplish every goal, or resist every sin. But as long as we continuously resist Satan, and his temptations through the Holy Word of God (John 15:7), through the intercession of Christ (Romans 8:34), and through the power of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39), it will be Satan telling himself, "run faster."

Remember, no matter how much control Satan has over your life right now, or how often you fail, you can still have victory over him. For with God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)

On January 27, 2010 by Patrice Thank you! This is a reminder that walking with God is definitely better than running with Satan! We are really in a fast-paced society. I feel this at work and sometimes even at church. This is a great devotional reading.

On November 09, 2008 by Laura That is so true, without God we couldn't defeat Satan. Thank You God!

Romans 3:23[23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

John 15:7[7] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Romans 8:34[34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

John 7:37-39[37] In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. [38] He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [39] (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Matthew 19:26[26] But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.